GUA MUSANG: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has directed the police and the Prisons Department to cooperate with each other to curb drug smuggling into prisons using drones.
He said he issued the order after receiving a briefing on the matter by the federal police Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID).
"Using drones to smuggle drugs into prison is not a new tactic. It has only been highlighted by the media lately.
"l was briefed on the matter by NCID recently and they have told me that they detected the trend several years ago.
"Therefore, l have told the police force to work with the Prisons Department closely to curb this menace since this activity involve both bodies.
"This sort of illegal activity also tarnishes the image of prisons as a drug rehabilitation institution," he said.
On Aug 12, it was reported that NCID had detected seven attempts to smuggle drugs into prisons using drones this year.
NCID director Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin had said that while the number of cases was relatively low, the department was taking the smuggling attempts seriously, particularly in the five states involved.
Two days earlier, the Prisons Department had said it was expanding the use of anti-drone systems and interceptor equipment using local technology across all prison facilities nationwide.